Lucille Ball said, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do.”

This is so true.

As a busy mother of a 9 month old, I’ve found that I HAVE to make better use of my time during the short windows throughout the day to complete tasks. The other day I was amazed at how much I can actually accomplish during a 90 minute nap session (napping for baby, NOT for me!) I realized that because I know my time is limited I find myself, really focusing by prioritizing and planning what to do during the time I have.

It’s kind of like a game with an egg timer. Set the timer for 60-90 minutes and decide how to use that time most efficiently before the bell rings (or the baby cries)?  Usually it’s a combination of what’s most important and what I KNOW I can complete within the time frame.

In the past I’ve mentioned the importance of organizing and prioritizing for better time management (see Time is a Choice or search Time Management). However, in order to work within the short time frame I have these days, I modified my To-Do list so that each item is broken down into segments, particularly the larger items.

For example, I am working on a 2-day team development and strategic planning session, which will definitely take me longer than 60-90 minutes to complete. So I broke it down into segments - “bite-size” chunks that I know I can accomplish little by little. As I complete each segment, it gets me further to my goal but also reassures me that I am making progress. I know I am moving forward!

And here’s the important thing - Accept whatever it is you do/do not complete on any given day. There’s no sense in wasting time and valuable energy worrying about what you have not done or what you should have done. Accept how you chose to spend the time. Some days I only get 1 thing done, other days I check off 5 or 6 things off my list! And still other days I may do nothing from my To-Do’s and just relax, which may be just what I need.

Take Action! Tip: If the time has passed and you have any regrets about what you did/did not do, readjust your priority for the next opportunity. Make a choice about what to do and dive in as soon as that “egg timer” is set!

Even with a short amount of time, as you continue to prioritize and accept your choices, you’ll start to feel more and more efficient.

Make Happiness Yours,

Susan